Barbara Levick
Barbara Mary Levick entered the world on the 21st of June 1931 in London. Her father was Frank Thomas Levick and her mother was Mary Smart. She attended Brighton and Hove High School before moving to St Hugh's College at Oxford University. The mid-1950s marked a pivotal moment when she began doctoral studies under Ronald Syme. Her research focused on Roman colonies within South Asia Minor. This path set her apart from many peers who followed different academic traditions.
Levick made two solo trips to Turkey during her early career years. These expeditions placed her in a tradition of largely Scottish and male epigraphers traveling through Anatolia. She chose to focus specifically on the region known as Pisidia. This area lay away from the routes explored by most of her male contemporaries. Her work there utilized discoveries found at Yalvaç in Turkey. She considered material that had been neglected since the 1920s. Only she published a book resulting directly from these specific fieldwork efforts.
In 1959, Barbara Levick received an appointment as university fellow and tutor for Roman History at St Hilda's College. Four years later, in 1967, she published her first monograph drawing on her doctoral thesis. Forty years after its release, critics described this text as a resilient classic of Roman history. The importance of the work stemmed from its dual focus on Roman impact and evidence types. It combined both epigraphic and numismatic sources into a single narrative framework. Jane Cursham painted her portrait for St Hilda's College shortly after these achievements.
Levick served as an influential editor for the Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua series. She directed the publication of two volumes within this major project. Her editorial decisions shaped the standard format used for inscriptions throughout the collection. This role required deep knowledge of ancient texts and careful judgment about presentation. Her influence extended beyond simple editing to defining how future scholars would read these records. The series became a cornerstone for understanding Asian Minor antiquity through written evidence.
Her biographical works on figures like Tiberius, Claudius, Vespasian, and Augustus gained wide acclaim. Critics largely praised these studies of Imperial women and emperors alike. A biography titled Tiberius the Politician appeared in 1976 with Thames and Hudson publishing it. Another volume called Claudius was released in 1990 and later translated into French by Isabelle Cogitore. The Year of the Four Emperors followed in 2000 while Vespasian arrived in 1999. These books established her reputation as a leading historian of her generation.
Barbara Levick died on the 6th of December 2023 at the age of 92 years old. Her extensive bibliography included numerous books and articles spanning decades of research. A Festschrift tribute titled VITA VIGILIA EST: ESSAYS IN HONOUR OF BARBARA LEVICK appeared in 2007. This collection appeared within the Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies Supplement No. 100. Her work remains recognized for its resilience and depth across multiple historical periods. Scholars continue to reference her findings on Roman colonies and imperial governance today.
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Common questions
When was Barbara Levick born and where did she enter the world?
Barbara Mary Levick entered the world on the 21st of June 1931 in London. Her father was Frank Thomas Levick and her mother was Mary Smart.
What region did Barbara Levick focus on during her fieldwork in Turkey?
Levick chose to focus specifically on the region known as Pisidia. This area lay away from the routes explored by most of her male contemporaries and utilized discoveries found at Yalvaç in Turkey.
Which books did Barbara Levick publish about Roman emperors and when were they released?
A biography titled Tiberius the Politician appeared in 1976 with Thames and Hudson publishing it. Another volume called Claudius was released in 1990 while The Year of the Four Emperors followed in 2000 and Vespasian arrived in 1999.
How many volumes within the Monumenta Asiae Minoris Antiqua series did Barbara Levick direct?
She directed the publication of two volumes within this major project. Her editorial decisions shaped the standard format used for inscriptions throughout the collection.
When did Barbara Levick die and how old was she at the time of her death?
Barbara Levick died on the 6th of December 2023 at the age of 92 years old. Her extensive bibliography included numerous books and articles spanning decades of research.
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14 references cited across the entry
- 1journalBarbara Levick and Asia MinorSTEPHEN MITCHELL — 2007
- 2newsWeekend birthdays21 June 2014
- 4webDr Barbara LevickUniversity of Oxford
- 5bookPaul's Offer of Leniency (2 Cor 10:1): Populist Ideology and Rhetoric in a Pauline Letter FragmentDonald Dale Walker — Mohr Siebeck — 2002
- 6journalSix Augustan Colonies - Barbara Levick: Roman Colonies in Southern Asia Minor. Pp. xvi+256; 2 maps, 6 plates. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1967. Cloth, 70s. net.John Briscoe — March 1969
- 7newsLife Styles of the Rich and FamousHugh Lloyd-Jones
- 8webReview: B. Levick, VespasianJohn F. Donahue — 20 January 2001
- 9journalReview of: Claudius. Second edition (first edition 1990). Roman imperial biographiesMegan M. Daly — July 2016
- 10journalReview of: Augustus: Image and SubstancePeter Keegan — May 2011
- 12webDr Barbara Levick 1931–202313 December 2023
- 13journalPublications of Barbara Levick2007